The only way Connecticut makes sense is if the ACC decides to become a basketball conference. They are letting their expansion be dictated by basketball when football is the big money-maker.

UCONN doesn't really add a great market. If they want a a good basketball team, Louisville adds a better football team and a slightly larger market. UCF and USF offer much larger markets (though Miami and Florida State already help there), huge enrollments (UCF is #2, USF #8), good facilities. All would be better than UCONN.

I think the ACC is still naively sticking to the idea that geography matters.

BC would probably be happy to get UConn so they could get a geographical rival. To me, I always figured that's who would replace them but I could see any of those teams being good choices. For some reason I already thought Louisville and Cincy were committed to follow WV to the Big 12 but I guess that was all just rumors.

BC would probably be happy to get UConn so they could get a geographical rival. To me, I always figured that's who would replace them but I could see any of those teams being good choices. For some reason I already thought Louisville and Cincy were committed to follow WV to the Big 12 but I guess that was all just rumors.

I think Louisville and Cincy would take any life raft they can get at this point.

Brilliant letting one of Scott Pioli's henchmen have his own team to ruin. One of the premier GM jobs in the NFL and it gets handed to a stupid **** who makes three facepalm moves for every good one. Awesome. Just like handing a new Mercedes to a 16 year old girl who's already been in three wrecks.

I feel like we've been going down this path for a bit but...the Big East has to lose its Automatic BCS bowl bid sooner than later right? They are poised to lose at least 2 more decent-to-relevant football teams, with probably two more to follow as you've gotta believe the Big 12 will try and keep up and add at least 2 more programs...

Part of me kinda feels bad for Boise State, they probably are gonna be stuck outside of a major conference due to not having the academics to legitimately get in.

I feel like we've been going down this path for a bit but...the Big East has to lose its Automatic BCS bowl bid sooner than later right? They are poised to lose at least 2 more decent-to-relevant football teams, with probably two more to follow as you've gotta believe the Big 12 will try and keep up and add at least 2 more programs...

Part of me kinda feels bad for Boise State, they probably are gonna be stuck outside of a major conference due to not having the academics to legitimately get in.

They've already lost it. When the playoff starts the BE only gets an auto if their team finishes higher than the other 2nd tier conferences.

Now the Big 10 can claim they are the birthplace of college football. I bet anything they promote the crap out of that. Also I think by far we're the oldest school in conference by at least 50 years.

That's one of the main reasons why I've suggested Rutgers as a B1G target several times in the past. They can now claim they are the birthplace of college football and they have the potential to get the viewers in the NYC area for the BTN.

I think what Delaney did with Maryland and Rutgers is a very shrewd move. For now I see the B1G staying put at 14 but that 16 will become a reality closer to 2017. Who knows what will happen by then with realignment?

UVA, UNC, GT, and, as always, ND likely top the list of B1G targets. I could see UVA going to the B1G if it meant that VT gets an SEC invite just so that the state could have their two premier universities in the two top sports conferences.

Like Shane, I have a hard time seeing UNC going anywhere without Duke, at least. Hell, Tobacco Road is going to be extremely difficult to break up. Georgia Tech, on the other hand, would be interested and would make an interesting fit.

The biggest drawback I see to adding Georgia Tech is that they have relatively few fans compared to the schools that surround them. It would also be difficult to get cable providers to offer the BTN in Atlanta and the surrounding areas especially when Slive and the SEC are in the midst of building their own SEC Network.

Maybe it's just the known desire of Delaney's to add Notre Dame but I feel that this move to poach an ACC was in part done to weaken the conference ND joined. With the Irish's bowl selection chances weakened by their recent agreement with the Orange Bowl, it could push them to join a conference especially with a playoff looming.

I could also be spit-balling but I'm sure Delaney knows that he would have a better chance of bringing in the NYC/DC viewing area with the Irish in the fold. It's a long-shot for sure but I think it's still in play especially a few years down the road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrdrylie

The only way Connecticut makes sense is if the ACC decides to become a basketball conference. They are letting their expansion be dictated by basketball when football is the big money-maker.

UCONN doesn't really add a great market. If they want a a good basketball team, Louisville adds a better football team and a slightly larger market. UCF and USF offer much larger markets (though Miami and Florida State already help there), huge enrollments (UCF is #2, USF #8), good facilities. All would be better than UCONN.

Really, the main reason why UConn is ahead of Louisville is due to academics. The lowest ranked university in the ACC according to US News is N.C. State at #106. UConn is ranked #63 while Louisville is ranked a distant #160. The ACC could justify adding UConn in that they meet their academic standards and have one of the more reputable basketball programs in the country. Forget that Louisville is better at football and just as competitive in basketball - they don't meet the academic criteria, especially when universities like UNC, Duke, Georgia Tech, and Virginia (just to name a few) are in the conference.

That's one of the main reasons why I've suggested Rutgers as a B1G target several times in the past. They can now claim they are the birthplace of college football and they have the potential to get the viewers in the NYC area for the BTN.

I think what Delaney did with Maryland and Rutgers is a very shrewd move. For now I see the B1G staying put at 14 but that 16 will become a reality closer to 2017. Who knows what will happen by then with realignment?

UVA, UNC, GT, and, as always, ND likely top the list of B1G targets. I could see UVA going to the B1G if it meant that VT gets an SEC invite just so that the state could have their two premier universities in the two top sports conferences.

Like Shane, I have a hard time seeing UNC going anywhere without Duke, at least. Hell, Tobacco Road is going to be extremely difficult to break up. Georgia Tech, on the other hand, would be interested and would make an interesting fit.

The biggest drawback I see to adding Georgia Tech is that they have relatively few fans compared to the schools that surround them. It would also be difficult to get cable providers to offer the BTN in Atlanta and the surrounding areas especially when Slive and the SEC are in the midst of building their own SEC Network.

Maybe it's just the known desire of Delaney's to add Notre Dame but I feel that this move to poach an ACC was in part done to weaken the conference ND joined. With the Irish's bowl selection chances weakened by their recent agreement with the Orange Bowl, it could push them to join a conference especially with a playoff looming.

I could also be spit-balling but I'm sure Delaney knows that he would have a better chance of bringing in the NYC/DC viewing area with the Irish in the fold. It's a long-shot for sure but I think it's still in play especially a few years down the road.

Really, the main reason why UConn is ahead of Louisville is due to academics. The lowest ranked university in the ACC according to US News is N.C. State at #106. UConn is ranked #63 while Louisville is ranked a distant #160. The ACC could justify adding UConn in that they meet their academic standards and have one of the more reputable basketball programs in the country. Forget that Louisville is better at football and just as competitive in basketball - they don't meet the academic criteria, especially when universities like UNC, Duke, Georgia Tech, and Virginia (just to name a few) are in the conference.

Good thoughts. I think the conference will move to 16 teams before the next round of television contracts. That's where the $$$ will explode.

Yeah I was wondering if this would happen. Frankly, there's not much reason to kill your traveling budget to play teams like Temple and Central Florida, especially when you all have the same shot at bowl access.

Temple is a school I feel really bad for. They are gonna be in no man's land again except they actually have a solid program and facilities this time around. At this point, the Big East might as well just dissolve and any team worth anything better hope their former conference or the Big 12 wants them.

Yeah I was wondering if this would happen. Frankly, there's not much reason to kill your traveling budget to play teams like Temple and Central Florida, especially when you all have the same shot at bowl access.

Agreed. I think the Western teams of the Big East should just split off and form their own conference. See if Boise State, San Diego State, and BYU could form a core and include teams like Air Force, Tulsa, S.M.U., Houston, New Mexico, U.N.L.V., Fresno State, Nevada, and UTEP. It's like a cherry picked Western Conference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzlegom

Temple is a school I feel really bad for. They are gonna be in no man's land again except they actually have a solid program and facilities this time around. At this point, the Big East might as well just dissolve and any team worth anything better hope their former conference or the Big 12 wants them.

I kinda feel bad for Temple too. Gotta think that their only hope to remain viable is an invite to the ACC that I doubt will come. Although, they are ranked 125th in academics, which isn't too bad and have a solid basketball program and an improving football team.

If the ACC wanted to try and help prevent any further defections they could just jump to 16 and invite 3 of UConn, Temple, Louisville, and Cincinnati. But I highly doubt they do that.

Temple is going to be the only remaining northeastern school left in the Big East. Lousiville and the Western schools will find a place, but Temple, Cinci, and the Big East Florida schools are in a pretty poor position.

Temple is going to be the only remaining northeastern school left in the Big East. Lousiville and the Western schools will find a place, but Temple, Cinci, and the Big East Florida schools are in a pretty poor position.

Unless, somehow, Cincy is invited to the Big 12.

That or Cincy, Temple, USF, and UCF carry on the Big East with Memphis, UMass, East Carolina, Southern Miss, and..... ah **** it.

I was looking through teams last night too, the Big East's only hope at this point would be for teams from the FCS to get ready to make the jump. Villanova is one team that could probably make the jump relatively easily. There are rumblings that George Mason could be ready to start up a football program in the not-so-distant future and they could at least have the resources to be legit.

That being said, the C-USA schools could easily back out too because of that Group of Five rule putting that conference on even ground as well. Perhaps an East/West Big East/WAC merger? That's all I got...haha